Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, the front-runner in the prime minister's race, wants to make state universities start classes in September instead of April and demand six months of volunteer work as a prerequisite for enrollment, sources close to him said Wednesday.
Abe's plan is apparently aimed at coordinating enrollment times with North American and European countries to make it easier for students at state and municipal universities to study abroad, while urging Japanese youth to get more involved in social activities.
But critics are skeptical because extensive efforts would have to be made to avoid disrupting society, which is deeply entrenched in the practice of starting the school and fiscal years in April. There is also criticism that forcing students to do social work may be unconstitutional.